Colorado Buffaloes forward Nick Randall has seen a great deal of change sweep through the program during his career. As a matter of fact, he’s seen <a href="https://healthylife7.com/more-than-600000-people-in-uk-unable-to-work-due-to-obesity-study-finds/" title="More than 600,000 people in UK unable to work due to obesity, study finds”>more than anyone on the current roster, as he is now the longest-tenured Buffalo
As a walk-on, Randall has been grinding for each opportunity he’s gotten through his first three seasons, though they’ve been scarce. But after a massive roster overhaul in the 2026 offseason,Randall may have an opportunity to leap into his biggest role yet
Nick Randall’s increased role during summer workouts
Amid a young roster that has sustained injuries in its frontcourt in the early portion of the offseason, Randall has been looked to as a major contributor in practice thus far
“My role over the past three years has kind of just been, ‘Put me wherever,’ and doing whatever the coaches tell me,” Randall said. “But now, we also have a couple of injured guys, so I’ve been in the practice rotation a lot more. It’s been fun, and I hope my teammates can learn from me.”
Randall was one of five returning players from the Buffaloes’ 2025 roster, three of which are underclassmen. Therefore, returning leadership is hard to come by on this Buffaloes roster, which is what has caused the coaching staff to lean on Randall in this way
How the Colorado Buffaloes’ coaching staff has used Nick Randall
His increased role sprouted from his leadership, as the coaches have built firm trust in him and his ability to take the helm of the scheme
“When we work through bigs, coach [Danny] Manning likes to use me for demonstrations,” Randall said. “He says, ‘Nick, you go first, you know all of this stuff.’ So I just want to be a leader and a role model on this team.”
As a player who has spent three seasons on the roster and seen it pay off in very little playing time, the trust that the coaches have in Randall speaks volumes about his work ethic. While his role may currently just serve the purpose of holding down the fort until the team is healthy, he has the chance to prove that he belongs in a bigger spot based on his skill set
What Nick Randall hopes to do in his new role
first points as a Buff for @NickRandall32 🦬#GoBuffspic.twitter.com/55FNXFiPMh
— Colorado Men’s Basketball (@CUBuffsMBB) December 22, 2024
If Randall can prove that he belongs in a contributing role, he won’t likely take a step back when his teammates are healed up. But the playing time isn’t what matters most to Randall, as he’s primarily excited to be a veteran leader like the Buffs greats who welcomed him into the program
“When I was a freshman, [the upperclassmen] were KJ Simpson, Tristan da Silva and those guys,” Randall said. “I remember when I was a freshman, I looked up to them. So, hopefully, my teammates can look up to me as well.”
Randall’s story is a classic of hard work paying off at his dream program. Being a Colorado native, Randall has had his heart set on the Buffaloes for his entire college career, despite the odds. If he can find success in his new opportunity, a scholarship and even larger roles could be on the horizon
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Published 7 hours ago
LIAM HOWARD
Liam Howard is a Colorado Buffaloes On SI beat reporter and a men’s basketball beat writer and sportscaster for Sko Buffs Sports. A Longmont, Colorado native, he has built a diverse portfolio across sports media, with experience in broadcast production, graphic design, and documentary storytelling. Known for his detailed coverage of college athletics, Howard is also the founder and host of SBS Football Live, where he provides thoughtful analysis and original reporting
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